One of the Oldest Settlements on Earth

Akko (also spelled
Acco or Acre) occupies an
important location, sitting in a natural harbor at one end of Israel’s Haifa
Bay on the Mediterranean Sea.
Established during the Bronze Age, and continuously inhabited since
then, it is among the oldest continuously inhabited settlements on
Earth!

Tel Akko dates to around 3000 b.c. It was part of the territory allotted to the
Hebrew tribe of Asher. The Egyptians
called the city Ptolemais, and Syrians called it Antioch. Akko was also captured by Alexander and
Cleopatra, and there Herod built a gymnasium; also the Romans enlarged the port
and built a Roman colony. Later the Arab
conquest is part of its history, as is the Crusader rule, in which Akko was the
chief port. After Ottoman rule and the
British Mandate, Akko was captured by Israel on 17 May, 1948. It was a
development town for Hebrew immigrants, largely from Morocco. Later, Russian and Ukrainian immigrants were
brought to settle in Akko.

In 2017, the population of Akko was 48,303, made up of mostly
Jews but also Muslims, Christians, Druze and Baha’is. Today
Akko is a poor city, rampant with crime.

From the last two containers received by Israel Relief Aid, the Akko Aid Center run by Ukrainian immigrants, received van loads of cartons of quality clothing, which quickly get distributed. We will remember Akko, and work on helping the people there.